Ship-railway car and dry-dock



(No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet1.

J. B. EA DS. Ship Railway Car and Dry Dock.

No. 239,088. Patented March 22,1881.

N.PETERS, PNOTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C (No Model.)

6 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. B. EADS.. Ship Railway Car and Dry Dock. NO. 239,088.

Patented March 22,-1881.

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6 SheetsSheet 3.

(No Model.)

' J. EADS. Ship Railway Car and Dry Dock. No. 239,088.

Patented March'22,188l.

. C E E E E N. PETERS. PHOTO LIT 6 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

' J. B. EADS.

Ship Railway Car and Dry Dock N0. 239;O88. Patented'March 22,1881,

RAPHER. WASHINGTON. D, C

(No Model.) 6 Sheets-1-Shee1b 5.

J. B. EADS. Ship Railway Car and Dry Dock No. 239,088. Patented March 22,1881.

0 O O 0 0 O O I72 z/ezziar/ (No Model.) 6 Sheets-Sheet 6; 7 J. B. EADS.

Ship Railway Car and Dry Dock.

No. 239,088. "Patented March 22,1881.

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N PETERS, FHOTOLITHOGRAFHER. WASHINGTON. D Q

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES B. EADS, on ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SHIP-RAILWAY CAR AND DRY- DOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 239,088, dated March '22, 1881.

Application filed July 12, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMEs B. EADS, of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ship-Railway Cars and Dry-Docks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a practical and efficient mode by which a loaded vessel of any size may be docked without dangerof injury. To this end I employ a cradle into which a ship may be floated, and which is provided with compound wedges working longitudinally under the keel and transversely beneath the bilge, moved by the pressure of hydraulic jacks, so as to force each wedge firmly home to its bearing while the vessel is afloat. The said wedges are provided with pawls,which hold them securely in the position in which they are set. U A uniform bearing is thus pro vided under all parts of the vessel by causing the supports to adjust and adapt themselves automatically to all parts of the bottom.

The invention further relates to means for conveying loaded vessels indefinite distances overland; and it consists in combining with the aforesaid cradle any necessary number of cars constructed with cross-beams, forming or provided with pedestals, stirrups, and springs, to afford a uniform support to the cradle throughout the length and breadth of the ship, and compensate for the slightirregularities in track.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I \vilfproeeed to describe the mode of carrying it into effect, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of the docking-basin and adjacent railway-tracks. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are transverse sections,on a larger scale,of the dock or basin at different points, indicated by the lines 3, 4, and 5, respectively, in Figs. 1 and 2, Fig. 4. showingan elevation of the cradle without the vessel, and Fig. 5 an outline of the vessel in position. Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the dock on a still larger scale, in the same plane as Fig. 5, showing the cradle also in transverse section. Fig. 7 represents a longitudinal section of a portion of the cradle upon the railway -track. Fig.8 is a plan of thesame. Fig. 9 is a plan of a portion thereof, on a larger scale, with parts of the bed or body of the car broken away. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section of the samein the several planes indicated by the irregular line 10 10, Fig. 11, showinga portion of the ships keel or bottom and the longitudinal wedges for supporting the same in elevation. Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the central portion thereof. Fig. 12 is a detached elevation of one of the bilge-wedges and its operatingjack and detaining-pawl. Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section on the line 13, Fig. 11, representingmore clearly the bearing of the keel on the keelwedges, and showing, also, the actuating-jack and detaining-pawls.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A represents a docking-basin with inclined ways of any necessary length to permit the passage of the cradle C under the bottom of a vessel, S, while she is afloat, and the gradual elevation of the same out of the water, after the mode common] y practiced in docking vessels by means of railways. 7 I employ any necessary number of parallel rails R, as shown in Fig. 1, connected with a shifting table, T, having three tracks,

R It R or more or le ,as preferred, any one of which may be brought into connection with the docking-track R by the lateral movement of the table T, for which purpose the said table is mounted upon suitable wheels and rails.

R R R It It represent permanent tracks,

with either of which the respective tracks R R R? of the shifting table may be brought into connection at Will, B being the main track over which the vessel is to be conveyed, while the others are side tracks, on which cars may be run temporarily with vessels awaiting transportat-ion.

The central part of my cradle G, for any necessary or desirable length, is constructed with elevated sides G, which, extending above the surface of the water, afford platforms on which men may stand for manipulating the connections of the hydraulic jacks (hereinafter described) for the purpose of forcing the wedges to their beariu gs beneath the bilge and keel of the ship.

For the purpose of illustration, I have indicated at D a steam-pump, at E a pipe for conducting water forced by the said pump, and

at F a hydraulic jack connected with the wedge G, so as to force the said wedge under the bilge of the vessel S.

H H, Figs. 10, 11, and 12, are guides controlling the movement of the wedges G upon the bed I beneath the bilge. A jack, F, is provided for each of the wedges G, which are placed at intervals beneath the vessel, from end to end, as illustrated in Figs. 6, 10, 11, and 12, the pipes E being branched so as to connect with the several jacks. Similar branch pipes connect with hydraulic jacks F to actuate the wedges J, arranged longitudinally beneath the keel of the vessel S at suitable intervals, and bearing on inclined planes or fixed wedges K, as shown in Fig. 13.

L L are pawls attached to the several wedges G and J, and engaging in racks M, so as to hold the wedges securely in any position in which they may be set.

The bed lot the cradle O rests, through the medium of springs N, on the bearings O of doubly-flanged wheels P, adapted to run on the rails R.

Q are pedestals, operating in the customary manner to preserve the proper relative position of the bed and journaP-bearings, while permitting the vertical play of the springs N. The cradle-bed is connected to the bearings by stirrups Q, which limit the vertical play of the cradle.

V and U represent, respectively, longitudinal and transverse I-beams or girders, which may be of any proper construction to consti tute a staunch and durable frame-work to connect the bearings and preserve the proper relative positions of all parts of the running-gear.

For docking a vessel, the wedges G and J being in their retracted positions, (shown by dotted lines in Figs. 12 and 13,) the cradle O is run out into the position shown at5 5 in Figs. 1 and 2, or far as may be necessary to reach the required depth of water to permit the ves sel S to float freely within the cradle without coming in contact with the bearing-wedges G and J. The vessel being brought to rest within the cradle, the operators, by means of the pumps D and jacks F F, drive all thewedges G and J home simultaneously to their respective bearings beneath the keel and bilge of the vessel, so that the ship will now have solid supports, with equal bearing under all parts, determined by the simultaneous movement of the vessel is to be launched or floated again at the other end of the line the cradle is run down a similar inclined dock until a sufficient depth of water is reached to float the vessel clear of the cradle and permit her to move off. The pawls L are then raised out of the racks M and the respective wedges retracted in readiness for the next vessel. This elevation of the pawls and retraction of the wedges may be readily performed by hand while the cradle is out of the water.

In order to provide for detaching the wedges underneath the water, I have shown, at W, shafts provided with arms connected with the said pawls, so that by turning the said shafts by means of crank-shafts, which may communicate therewith by means of bevel-pinions Y, the said pawls may be simultaneously elevated to permit the retraction ot the wedges. This can then be performed by the reverse movementot' the jacks, if double jacks be employed; or otherwise, by simple gearing connected with the wedges for the purpose.

It is obvious that the wedges and jacks constituting the first part of my invention are applicable to dry docks and ordinary marine railways, as well as to railways for conveying vessels over land between navigable waters.

Having thus described myinvention, the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the wedges and the hydraulic jacks for setting the wedges up under the heel and bilge of a vessel, substantially as herein described.

2. The combination of the wedges G J, jacks F F, and pawls L, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, in a ship-railway car, of the pedestals Q, springs N, cross-bars U and V, and stirrups Q, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

J AS 13. EADS.

WVitnesses:

OCTAVIUS KNIGHT, GEO. 'l. SMALLWOOD, Jr. 

